Summer Tours July 2015

July 2015 Summer Tour

Our July tour is currently set, organised and ready to run (as at the end of
June). We are due to fly into Tokyo and then meet our guests before taking
in the sights from Mt Osore in the north and then along the west coast of Japan.
Looking forward to the sumo in Nagoya and the warm weather.

Dates and Schedule

Tuesday 30 June Tokyo: Commencement of tours available from
30th June.

Thursday 2 July Tokyo: Visit
Asukusa Kaminarimon (thunder gate), Hozomon and pagoda. An array of stalls
lines the entrance to this shrine. Either lunch from the food stalls or from a
nearby restaurant. (Skytree is also nearby for those that want a panoramic view
of the city.)

Friday 3 July Tokyo:
A range of options are available such as a visit to Studio Ghibli or the Pokemon Centre.
A visit to Shibuya is always fun and a stop at Shibuya109 and Mandrake are
recommended. Perhaps some karaoke at BigEcho (or similar) as well?

Saturday 4 July Tokyo: A free day to
further explore Tokyo. Alternatively it is an opportunity to take a day trip bus tour to Mt Fuji, Nikko or
take the train to Nagano to see the Jigokudani monkey park.

Sunday 5 July Tokyo: A visit to Harajuku
- not only a great shopping area but we may get to see local cosplay (as it is
Sunday). For those wanting a dose of culture, visit the nearby Meiji Shrine.

Monday 6 July Tokyo: Visit the Fuji Q Highland theme park (this would be a full day). https://www.fujiq.jp/en/

Tuesday 7 July Tokyo to Aomori: Taking the Hayabusa shinkansen at
speeds up to 320 km/h to Aomori (196 minutes travel, 718km).

Wednesday 8 July Aomori: For those keen on trains, take the under
sea link to Hokkaido and back, or check out Mount Osorezan (one of the most
sacred sites in Japan) or visit the extreme end of the island at Cape Oma. In
Aomori, there is an opportunity to see Wa Rasse, a recently opened museum
celebrating the summer Nebuta festival, or the fish markets for fresh sashimi.

Thursday 9 July Aomori to Akita: From Aomori to Akita (162 minutes, 186km)
is one of the most scenic train trips in Japan.

Friday 10 July Akita: A relaxation day allowing short trips to Lake
Tazawa, a visit to the Senshu-koen park, or finding somewhere interesting to enjoy
the local cuisine.

Saturday 11 July Akita to Niigata: Continue our journey along the western coast
to Niigata (224 minutes, 273km)

Sunday 12 July Niigata: Visit Sado Island either by ferry or
jetfoil. The remoteness of the island made it ideal for exiles and retains
a distinct "out of the way" atmosphere. Niigata also has an old style
market - Hon-cho.

Tuesday 14 July Kanazawa: The town of Kanazawa (''Little Kyoto'') is
reknown for many things. Visit the famous Kenrokuen Garden and
Kanazawa castle. Enjoy the local cuisine including fresh sushi and
sashimi at the local fresh foods market.

Thursday 16 July Kyoto: Shopping at the covered Nishiki Market, which includes a selection of local food stalls. The Isetan and
Takashimaya department stores are also excellent for shopping and both have vast
food halls. Other options include a visit to the
"golden pavilion" Kinkaku-ji. During the evening visit Kodai-ji
Temple in Kyoto. The temple complex includes a Zen garden, bamboo forest and
artisan souvenir shops. It is illuminated in the evenings and provides a
view of the city. Access to/from will be via taxi.

Friday 17 July Kyoto: An opportunity to attend the summer Sumo
tournament in Nagoya (we have booked seats).

Saturday 18 July Nagoya: Day trip to the world heritage site at Nara.
At Nara there is both Todai-ji temple
(with the world's largest bronze Buddha), and Kagusa Shinto shrine. There
are sacred deer roaming the park and excellent souvenir and food shops in the
railway station area.

Sunday 19 July Nagoya: Nagoya castle or the SCMaglev and Railway Park.
A day trip to Hikone and Lake Biwa are also options.

Monday 20 July Nagoya to Tokyo: Return to Tokyo.

Tuesday 21 July Tokyo: A final day in Tokyo, end of tour.

Price Inclusions/exclusions

Pricing is takes into account the accommodation rates that we expect to be in
place at the time of bookings. The actual rates we are able to obtain are
lower when booked in advance, and more expensive when booked shortly before the
tour commences.

For the West Coast Rail Excursion to Aomori
and the western coast of Japan, costs for the 15 day tour is Y390,000 share twin/double.
This price includes rail transfers from Narita to Tokyo, a 14 day rail pass and return rail
transfers to Fuji-Q Highland and park entrance fee (less if Fuji-Q is
excluded).

For the West Coast Rail Excursion to Aomori
and the western coast of Japan, costs for the 15 day tour is Y495,000 share twin/double.
This price includes rail transfers from Narita to Tokyo, a 14 day rail pass and return rail
transfers to Fuji-Q Highland and park entrance fee (less if Fuji-Q is
excluded).

Please contact us for details on tour prices that cover the days that you wish
to travel. The above tour costs are based on current accommodation pricing
and may vary by location and at the time of booking. Prices generally exclude meals and incidental
costs unless specifically included.